Most conventional motor vehicles, such as the modern-day automobile, are originally equipped with a dedicated storage area next to the passenger compartment for stowing personal effects and belongings. A traditional trunk compartment, for example, is a large storage bin located at the rear of the vehicle and covered by a trunk lid that is hinged underneath the passenger compartment's rear deck. By comparison, the dedicated storage area of a pickup truck and other cargo transport vehicles (e.g., sport utility vehicles (SUV), cargo vans, box trucks, etc.) is typified by a rear cargo compartment that is closed off at the tail end by a hinged liftgate, tailgate or door assembly. Truck cargo compartments normally offer more storage volume than their conventional trunk counterparts by providing increased floor space with an elevated cargo ceiling (vans, SUVs, box trucks, etc.) or an open cargo area without a ceiling (pickups, flatbeds, etc.).
Pickup trucks and other cargo transport vehicles are frequently used as commercial work vehicles because the increased storage volume of the rear cargo compartment provides extra space for hauling oversize equipment, tools and trade supplies. The rear cargo compartment may also be customized with storage boxes, shelving, or racks to accommodate more specific storage needs. Most truck storage boxes are affixed to a forward portion of the cargo bed, e.g., adjacent the vehicle cab, or along the sidewalls of the cargo bed, e.g., adjacent a wheel well. Oftentimes fabricated from high-gauge, rust-resistant aluminum or steel, the basin of the storage box is bolted to the truck bed and covered by a single-ply lid that extends horizontally along the length of the container. Many truck bed storage boxes provide lockable lids that are mounted by two double-acting butt hinges to a sidewall of the basin.